Brushing or polishing machine



April 22, .1969 P. KRAFT 3,439,371

BRUSHING OR POLISHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 2, 1968 I Sheet of 10 INVENTOR. PAUL 1664f T ATTOB/VEYS April 22, 1969 P.- KRAFT BRUSHING OR POLISHING MACHINE Sheet Filed Jan. 2, 1968 INVENTOR. 54! 1654/7 April 22,1969 P. KRAFT I BRUSHING OR POLISHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 2, 1968 Sheet m s 0 We w K M n m P April 22,1969 I P. KRAFT 3,439,371 I BRUSHING OR POLISHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 2, 1968 Sheet 6 Of 10 INVENTOR.

QAJMK ZM P. KRAFT BRUSHING OR POLISHING MACHINE April 22, 1969 Filed Jan. 2; 1968 Sheet lll'lllPll'lrllPl INVENTOR. P401 1664/7 April 22, 1969 I P. KRAFT 3,

I BRUSHING OR POLISHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 2, 1968 Sheet 8 or 10 INVENTOR. PAUL 1664/7 fli -44% M2772,

Filed Jan. 2, 1968 R or s \Iu Wm M w m n P A QM April 22, 1969 P-IKRAFT BRUSHING OR POLISHING MACHINE Sheet /0 of 10 Filed Jan. 2, 1968 INVENTOR. 840/. KEAFT M JZW A 770.61% Y5 l I I I I I I I I I I I I I l I l ---'-4}------- -----4 United States Patent 3,439,371 BRUSHIN G OR POLISHING MACHINE Paul Kraft, Geislingen an der Steige, Germany, assignor t0 Wurttembergische Metallwarenfabrik, Geislingen an der Steige, Germany, a corporation of Germany Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 541,186,

Apr. 8, 1966. This application Jan. 2, 1968, Ser.

Int. Cl. A46b 13/ 02; B24b 17/00 US. Cl. 21 12 Glaims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 541,186 filed Apr. 8, 1966, and now abandoned, entitled Brushing and Polishing Machine.

Field of the invention This invention relates to brushing and polishing machines and, in particular, relates to an automatic or semiautomatic machine for polishing irregularly shaped workpieces.

Background of the invention In most prior art brushing and polishing machines, the relative movement between the workpiece and the tool is controlled manually. One prior patent of such a machine suggests a hand control for the motion of the workpiece relative to the tools, as for example a hand control for the motion along the X-axis, another hand control for the motion of a slide along the Y-axis, and for the motion of the workpiece in a third dimension, the Z-aXis, it suggests a foot control. This patent also suggests an independent control of all three dimensions relative to velocity, magnitude and direction by a corresponding hand or foot control, and this independent control can also be used for any desired overlap of motion of one direction relative to another.

This previously suggested machine has the disadvantage that the movement of the workpieces relative to the tools is dependent upon the operator, that is by hand or foot control. This is a disadvantage in certain cases because the quality of the operation is always dependent upon the operator and the required grade of the treatment can only be secured by the use of special, qualified operators.

The purpose of the new invention is to provide an automatic sequence of certain functions and operations on brushing and polishing machines. According to this invention, this is accomplished by the use of a periphery control device comprising control cams and tracing templates which correspond to the outline of the workpieces. The control cams determine the motion in the X-Y plane and the tracing templates control the motion in the Z-axis. The use of one or more control cams and a corresponding device for the following of these cams allows the treatment of any outline, especially edge zones. Certain parts of the control cams can be made ineffective by mechanical or electrical means so as to allow the treatment of other parts or of the entire workpiece in the X-Y plane. The feed motion can be infinitely 3,439,371 Patented Apr. 22, 1969 variable or variable in steps relative to and depending on the shape of the workpiece. The length of travel is suitable to the length or shape of the workpiece.

With a device according to this invention it is possible to treat the surface of a workpiece of any shape, especially a tray or the like, automatically in such a fashion that the tool can cover edge zones selectively by the outline control and can cover the entire workpiece in successive passes on the same machine. A separate operation for the edge zones may be required in order to improve the quality of the final operation in these edge zones since the shape is usually more complicated in these areas than in the central area of the workpiece and thus requires a more intensive treatment. This device makes it possible to work the edge area of the workpiece more often and thus more intensively than the workpiece surface. In comparison to brushing or polishing machines which allow only an even intensive treatment of the entire workpiece, this method of operation is highly advantageous.

Several switch cams are suggested for this purpose. In the case of an elliptical workpiece, such as a tray, three curved members or cams are provided, one left, one right and a central switch cam. The two outer cams, in cooperation with the central cam, control the oscillating outline or edge zone treatment. The entire workpiece can be covered when the central cam is lowered; the tool moves in an always progressing path. In this case, a switch runs above the lowered central cam and reverses only on contact with the two outer cams. For each switching point of the switch the unit advances one line (distance unit) at right angles to the back and forth motion and thus the tool can cover the entire workpiece.

The up and down motion of the inner cam is obtained by the use of an air or oil actuated cylinder and a rocker which is pivoted around a pivot point by said cylinder, or by means of any other suitable drive device.

The control which effects the back-and-forth motion of the table and thus the workpiece supported thereon consists of an electric, hydraulic or pneumatic mechanism fixedly mounted to the table for providing the switching. This can be a limit switch, a valve or the like which controls the table motion by means of an electric, hydraulic or pneumatic member such as a multiple port valve with or without a pilot control, depending on the size of the valve, which in turn controls the power cylinder for the table motion. The switch runs against the left or right control cam and gives an impulse to the control member which in turn changes the direction of the table so that the table moves back and forth. This impulse at the same time initiates a line or step advance perpendicular to the back-and-forth motion/t An arrangement incorporating only one control cam is sufiicient when the above-described motion is obtained -by electrical means such as a limit switch. In a Work piece outline treatment, each impulse from the limit switch reverses the workpiece motion. If the tool has to cover the entire area of the workpiece where one path advances beyond the previous one, then the limit switch is so arranged that only each second impulse effects a reversal.

Another embodiment of this invention intended for outline tracing is so arranged that the workpiece outline is covered in one motion without oscillation of the workpiece. A tracer stylus of hydraulic, electrical or mechanical function is rigidly mounted on the workpiece carrying table or, alternately, on the fixed machine frame and receives information from control cams on either the fixed machine table or alternately on the moving table. The stylus receives the information from the control cams or templates which move at a constant or variable velocity during the feed motion. A combination of both movements results in a workpiece motion which keeps the workpiece edge always under the tool. A progressive pass feed motion of the already-described fashion follows this operation.

To treat the surface of a workpiece of any shape one can also use one control template which can be brought into an upper, intermediate and lower position, this single template taking the place of the above-described three control cams. The stylus feels the lower half of the workpiece outline when the template is in the lower position; then the template is moved into the intermediate position and the stylus feels the other half of the workpiece outline. When the other half of the outline template has been traced by the stylus, then the template is moved to the upper position whereupon the control element for the progressing pass feed motion takes over so that the tool covers the entire workpiece progressively pass after pass.

Auxiliary functions such as line advance, paste addition, tray turnover and front and rear limits are controlled by switch cams. These switch cams are located on the side and bottom of the table which moves back and forth. Alternatively, they can be mounted on a control drum or in a cam field. The cams in the cam field or the dogs on the control drum actuate a row of limit switches or suitable valves which initiate the above-mentioned auxiliary functions. The distance between the dogs can vary so that the distance between the lines is thus adjustable. A stepping switch and corresponding time relays can also facilitate the control instead of the cam field or the cam drum.

Alternatively, the mechanical brushing and polishing can be automatically controlled by means of two rotatable cams or curve discs which rotate synchronized together and move ,a cross table which carries the workpiece. The table comprises a stacked pair of slides. Such a device can control the operations for any outline form. The curve discs are mounted on a shaft which is driven in a synchronized rotation by a gear motor. One curve disc directly moves one slide in the forward and return direction, a counter pressure being furnished by an air cylinder which is charged on one side only. The second curve disc moves the other slide for the back-and-forth motion by means of a lever, a counter pressure being furnished by another air cylinder which is charged on one side only. This lever is fastened to the other slide of the oscillating table by means of a slide guide. Both slides of the cross table can move independently of each other and the slide movement can be adjusted to suit any workpiece shape.

Another curve disc can be added for the control of the variable drive by means of a suitable linkage. An infinitely variable drive is desirable because it makes it possible to obtain an almost constant circumferential velocity for any workpiece size and at any table position.

While the brushing and polishing machine incorporating therein the automatic control devices described above operates in a desirable and generally satisfactory manner, still the result achieved with this machine does not always have the quality which can be obtained by a handcontrolled polishing operation. For example, it is not possible to precisely work single or isolated areas of the workpiece surface, for example, to remove areas with mistakes which have occurred during the manufacture of the workpiece.

It is the purpose of this invention to further construct a machine of the above-described type so that said machine, in spit of automatic control, makes a precise working of the workpiece possible, thus giving'a result corresponding to good manual control.

To attain this purpose, the invention provides for selectively repeating single or several connected feed movements. This is accomplished by providing a programmable control device for giving switching orders to the carriage drives, which orders dominate or override the switching orders of the periphery control device described above.

The programmable control device allows an automatic treatment of a series of uniform hollow goods manufactured by the same worktools and, in spite of said automatic operation, same is done with preciseness previously obtainable only by manual control. The programmable control device permits any desired area of the workpiece to be polished by the workpiece as often as desired. Areas which have defects due to manufacture, which defects occur in a series of workpieces, can thus be taken care of in an economical manner. Furthermore, the programmable control device allows a fast change in programming when the workpieces have the same outside shape, but however, have defects thereon or are to be subjected to another surface treatment. This copying device thus results in a high-grade final product in an economical operating manner.

The control device advantageously provides switching devices for releasing auxiliary functions, like polishing means feeding, turning of the workpieces, disengagement of the worktools, and pivoting of the polishing aggregates. The entire operation is thus controlled completely automatically. It is thereby advantageously possible to exactly adjust the release of the auxiliary functions to the respective operating program. This would, in case of a control of the operation only through a periphery control device, require considerable changes while in the device of this invention a simple programming with the control device is sufficient. The control device thus effects a further saving in operating time of a qualified man skilled in the art and at the same time causes an increase in the quality of the performed work.

The control device is advantageously coupled with one of the two carriages or the moved part of the periphery control device by actuating known switching members, the operation of which is dependent on the path or time. The switching members inform the control device in a simple manner of the respective state of the operation which is still being controlled by the periphery control device. Thus, said switching members make it possible for the control device to enter the operation at the programmed areas, for example, to order repetitions of the carriage movements -or to release auxiliary functions.

The switching members can advantageously consist of cam arrangements and limit switches operated by same. Said cam arrangement sends out impulses at intervals depending on the path, which impulses move the control device forward for another step.

The cam arrangement is advantageously arranged on the lower carriage and the limit switches associated therewith are constructed so that they control reversal of the lower carriage movement. Thus, the cam arrangement and the limit switches fulfill a double function by taking over reversal of the carriage movement and also advancing of the control device in steps. Reversal of the carriage movement is also assured when the control device does not enter the operation.

In a modified embodiment, the switching members can be comprised of a timing relay and a step-by-step switch coupled with said timing relay. The stepped advance of the switching program may be made to be dependent on time.

Furthermore, the control device can be coupled with a timing relay for reversing the carriage movement, thereby not needing any corresponding cams on the carriage.

The control device advantageously provides a punched card control. Thus, in case of a change of the program, only the exchange of the punched card or of a perforated tape is necessary.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a partially broken side view of a polishing machine according to the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a partially broken front view of the .machine illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a schematic top view of a periphery control template according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view as taken along the line IVIV of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the template as taken in the direction of the arrow R in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a schematic diagram of an electrical circuit for controlling the carriage movements.

FIGURE 7 is a schematic diagram of the fluid pressure circuit for controlling the carriage movements.

FIGURE 8 is a top elevational view of a periphery control template in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE "9 is a cross-sectional view of the template as taken along the line IX-IX of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 10 is a schematic diagram of an electrical circuit for use with the control template illustrated in FIGURES 8 and 9.

FIGURE 11 is a schematic illustration of still another embodiment of a periphery control template according to the present invention.

FIGURE 12 is a top view of the control template illustrated in FIGURE 11.

FIGURE 13 is a partial crosssectional view taken along the line XJIIXII.I of FIGURE 11.

FIGURE 14 illustrates a mechanical control device for controlling the carriage movements.

FIGURE 15 is a schematic cross section of the device of FIGURE 14 as taken along the line XV-XV.

FIGURE 16 is a side elevational view of a four-station polishing machine for polishing hollow goods.

FIGURE 17 is a front elevational view of the polishing machine according to FIGURE 16.

FIGURE 18 is a partial side elevational view of the right side of the machine as illustrated in FIGURE 17.

FIGURE 19 is an end elevational view of the apparatus as illustrated in FIGURE 18.

FIGURE 20 is a schematic diagram of an electrical circuit for controlling the carriage movements of the machine illustrated in FIGURES 16-19.

FIGURE 21 is a partial schematic diagram of the circuit illustrated in FIGURE 20.

Detailed description FIGURES 1 and 2 illustrate a multiple-station polishing machine which comprises a base frame 11 having a cross-slide arrangement 12 arranged thereon. Upper sup port members 13 are fixedly secured to and extend upwardly from the base frame 11 and have a plurality of polishing units 16 pivotally supported thereon, two of said units being illustrated in FIGURE 2.

The cross-slide arrangement 12 comprises a lower carriage 17 which has a plurality of rollers 18 thereon in rolling engagement with rails 19 supported on the base frame 11. An upper carriage 21 also having rollers 22 thereon is positioned above the lower carriage 17 with its rollers being in rolling engagement with a pair of rails 23 fixedly secured to the lower carriage 17, the rails 23 being substantially transverse to the rails 19. The upper carriage 21 supports thereon a plurality of workpiece holders 26 for receiving therein workpieces such as hollow goods. Further, the upper carriage 21 also supports thereon a template holder 27 (FIGURE 27) for receiving therein a vertical control template.

The lower carriage 17 is reciprocated by a fluid pressure cylinder 28, one end of which is supported upon a flange 29 fixedly secured to the base frame 11. The cylinder 28 has a piston rod 31 extending therefrom and fixedly secured to the lower carriage 17 for moving same. The upper carriage 21 is moved in a similar manner by means of a fluid pressure cylinder 32, one end of which is interconnected to a flange 33 fixedly secured to the lower carriage 17, the other end having a piston rod 36 extending therefrom and fixedly secured to the upper carriage 21. The fluid pressure cylinders 28 and! 32 may be either pneumatically or hydraulically actuated, being connected to a fluid source by means of conventional flexible conduits.

The polishing units 16 are each supported upon a common arm member 3-7, which arm member has a pivot shaft 38 thereon supported within bearing blocks 39 fixedly secured to the upper support members 13. Arm member 37 is pivoted relative to the machine frame by means of a fluid pressure cylinder 41, one end of which is pivotally secured to a fiange 42 fixed to one end of the arm member 37, the other end of the pressure cylinder 41 having a piston rod 43 extending therefrom pivotally secured to a flange 46 fixed to' the upper support member 13.

Each of the polishing units 16 includes a motor 47 supported upon one end of the arm member 37 and a polishing wheel 48 rotatably supported upon the other end of the arm member 37, the polishing wheel 48 being rotatably driven from the motor 47 by means of a plurality of belts 49.

The polishing wheels 48 are moved vertically by the pivotal movement of the arm member 37 so as to polish the vertically extending edge portions of the workpieces positioned within the workpiece holders 26. The vertical movement of the polishing units is controlled by means of a control stylus 51 fixedly secured to the arm member 37, which stylus cooperates with a control template positioned within a template holder 27 for controlling the vertical profile of the workpieces in a manner which is previously known in the polishing art.

The horizontal movement of the workpiece holders 26 containing workpieces therein relative to the polishing wheels 48 is accomplished by means of the cross-slide arrangement 12 and is controlled by means of a periphery control device 52. As illustrated in FIGURE 2, the peripheral control device 52 comprises a tracing template 53 fixedly secured to the base member 11 and a movable switching stylus 56, which stylus is mounted upon an arm member 57 fixedly secured to and extending downwardly from the upper carriage 21. Suitable openings are provided in the lower carriage 17 and in the base frame 11 to permit the necessary movement of the arm 57 relative therete.

One embodiment of the periphery control means 52 is illustrated in FIGURES 3-5. These figures illustrate a periphery control template 53 which comprises two symmetrical outer parts 57 and 58 with a center part 59 positioned therebetween. The outer parts 57 and 58 are provided with control cams 61 and 62 thereon while the center part 59 is also provided with a control cam 63 thereon. The control cams 61 and 62 correspond to the outer periphery of the edge of the tray-shaped hollow workpiece which is to be positioned within the workpiece holders 26, while control cam 63 corresponds to the inside periphery of the edge.

The outer parts 57 and 58 of the periphery control template 53 are preferably fixedly but detachably secured to the base frame 11. However, the center part 59 is preferably movably mounted on the base frame 11 so that same can be lowered from its operating position, as illustrated in solid lines in FIGURE 4, to its rest position, as illustrated in dotted lines in FIGURE 4. The center part 59 is supported upon one end of the lever 66, which lever is pivotally supported intermediate its length upon a flange 67 fixedly secured to the base frame 11. The other end of the lever 66 is engaged by a drive means in the form of a fluid pressure cylinder 68 mounted on the base frame 11. Actuation of the drive means 68 causes the piston rod 69 thereof to move as indicated by the double arrow P in FIGURE 5 so as to either raise or lower the center part 59 as desired.

The switching stylus 56 fixedly secured to the upper carriage 21 is positioned directly above the periphery control template 53 and is constructed as a two-contact switch having a pair of feeler members 71 and 72, which feeler members are adapted to coact with the control cams 61, 62 and 63 whereby deflection of one of the feeler members by one of the control cams causes actuation of the switching stylus 56, the switching stylus '56 being movable in a direction as indicated by the double arrow A illustrated in FIGURE 4, which movement corresponds to the movement of the upper carriage 21. The switching stylus 56 controls the energization of the power cylinders 28 and 32, which in turn cause movement of the upper and lower carriages 21 and 17, respectively, as explained hereinafter.

FIGURE 3 illustrates one possible polishing sequence which can be performed by the machine due to the coaction between the switching stylus 56 and the periphery control template 53. Assuming the switching stylus 56 to be initially positioned adjacent the control cam 62 as indicated at position I in FIGURE 3, upon starting the machine the power cylinder 32 will be energized whereby the upper carriage 21 having the workpiece holders 26 mounted thereon will be driven underneath the polishing wheels 48. The switching stylus 56 is fixedly secured to the upper carriage 21 and will consequently perform the same movement whereby the switching stylus '56 will move from the position I adjacent the control cam 62 to the position II whereupon the feeler member 71 will abut and be deflected by the control cam 61. Deflection of the feeler member 71 causes a momentary energization of the fluid pressure cylinder 28 whereby the lower carriage 17 is advanced one step or unit distance whereupon the carriages 17 and 21 and the switching stylus 56 moves from position II to position III as illustrated in FIGURE 3.

The deflection of the feeler 71 also causes a simultaneous reversal in the energization of the power cylinder 32 whereby the upper carriage 21 is driven in a reverse direction, the wheels 48 again performing a polishing operation on the workpieces as they traverse thereacross from position III to position IV. Upon reaching position IV, the feeler member 72 contacts the control cam 62 and again causes a reversal in the movement of the upper carriage 21 while simultaneously causing the lower carriage 17 to again advance forwardly in a transverse direction a predetermined distance or step. However, during the back-and-forth movement of the stylus 56 across the workpiece, the feeler 71 now abuts the control cam 63 of the center part 59 at position V and causes a switch reversal to occur whereby the movement of the upper carriage 21 is reversed while simultaneously the lower carriage is again advanced forwardly a predetermined distance or step. The switching stylus 56 thus performs the irregularly shaped movement, as illustrated by the solid line L in FIGURE 3, between the control cams 62 and 63 until the lower carriage 17 reaches position VII whereby same contacts a limit switch 73 mounted upon the frame member 11, which limit switch 73 causes reversal of a four-way valve controlling the flow of pressurized fluid to the cylinder 28 whereupon the lower carriage 17 is caused to be moved a predetermined distance or step in the opposite direction (upwardly in FIGURE 3).

The switching stylus 56 again performs an irregularly shaped movement along the other edge of the workpiece so the lower carriage 17 is sequentially stepped backwards toward its initial position, which movement is controlled by the control cams 61 and 62. This movement along the opposite edge of the workpiece continues until the initial position I is again reached, the edge of the workpiece having thus been polished once.

Upon reaching the initial position I, the lower carriage 17 comes int-o contact with another limit switch 76 mounted on the base frame 11, which limit switch causes reversal of the four-way valve controlling flow of fluid to the pressure cylinder 28 whereupon the cylinder is again in a position to advance the lower carriage 17 in a forward direction (downwardly in FIGURE 3). The pressure cylinder 68 is then energized to move the center part 59 of the control template to its lowered inoperative position as illustrated by dotted lines in FIGURE 4. The switching stylus 56 again starts its backand-forth movement at position I and successively moves through positions 11, III, IV and V. However, the stylus does not abut the control cam 63 at position V because same has been lowered and constquently is no longer contacted by the stylus. Consequently, the stylus 56 continues to move across the template until the feeler member 71 contacts the control cam 61 at position VI, causing the initiation of another transverse step of the lower carriage 17 and the reversal in the movement of the upper carriage 21. Thus, the switching stylus 56 continues to move back and forth between the control cams 61 and 62, this movement being interrupted only by the transverse step-like movement of the lower carriage 17. The back-and-forth movement of the switching stylus 56 continues until the lower carriage 17 contacts the limit switch 73 at position VII, whereupon further transverse steplike movement of the lower carriage is in the reverse direction with the stylus 56 again moving back and forth across the workpiece with the lower carriage 17 being stepped in the opposite direction back toward its initial position I. This path of travel, insofar as same does not intersect the path L, is illustrated by dotted lines in FIG- URE 3 and is identified as path K.

As will be apparent from a consideration of the above operation, the polishing wheels polish the edges of the workpieces once when the center part 59 is in the raised operative position, while the polishing wheels polish the entire workpiece including the edge areas twice when the counter part is in the lowered inoperative position. Thus, the edge areas of the hollow workpieces are polished three times while the remaining surfaces of the workpieces are polished only twice.

FIGURE 6 schematically illustrates an electrical control system which, in conjunction with the fluid pressure system schematically illustrated in FIGURE 7, may be used for controlling the above-described operation. Considering first the fluid pressure circuit of FIGURE 7, a pump P is supplied with a suitable fluid from a reservoir R, which pump pressurizes the fluid and supplies same through a first conduit 79 to a four-way valve V whereupon the pressurized fluid is then alternatively supplied to one of the inlet conduits 81 and 82 connected to opposite ends of the power cylinder 32 for controlling the reciprocating movement of the upper carriage 21. When the feeler member 71, which comprises a normally open limit switch LS3, is moved into contact with one of the control cams 62 or 63 and is closed, this causes energization of the solenoid SOL3 whereupon the fourway valve V is moved from the position illustrated in FIGURE 7 to its opposite position whereby the inlet conduit 79 is in communication with the inlet conduit 82 for supplying pressurized fluid to one end of the pressure cylinder 32. The carriage 21 with the work holders 26 thereon thus passes in one direction underneath the polishing wheels 48. Similarly, when the feeler 72 contacts either the control cams 61 or 62, which feeler member 72 also comprises a normally open limit switch LS4, the limit switch LS4 is closed causing energization of the solenoid S'OL4 whereby the four-way valve V is returned to the position illustrated in FIGURE 7 so that inlet conduit 79 is now in communication with the inlet conduit 81 for supplying pressurized fluid to the other end of the cylinder 32. Thus, carriage 21 is then moved in the opposite direction.

To control the step-like advancement of the lower carriage 17, the power cylinder 28 is supplied with pressurized fluid from the pump P through an inlet conduit 87 which contains a double solenoid, four-way valve V therein whereby the inlet conduit 87 is connectible with either the conduit 88 or 91. When the carriage 17 is in the initial position I, the carriage contacts and closes the limit switch 73, which switch comprises a normally open limit switch LS1. Closure of the limit switch 73 causes the solenoid SOL1 to be energized whereupon the four-Way valve V is positioned as illustrated in FIG- URE 7, in which position the inlet conduit 87 is in communication with the conduit 88. However, the conduit 88 also contains a solenoid valve V therein which is normally held closed by spring 96 so as to prevent the flow of fluid into the pressure cylinder 28. The solenoid valve V is moved to the open position only upon energization of the solenoid SOLS whereby the conduit 88 communicates with the conduit 89 for supplying fluid to one side of the pressure chamber within the power cylinder 28. The solenoid SOLS is energized whenever feeler member 71 or 72 is deflected causing closing of limit switch LS3 or LS4. These limit switches have a timing relay TR1 connected in series therewith, energization of which causes closure of the associated relay contact TR1-1 connected in series with the solenoid SOLS. Relay TR1 is a conventional time-delay relay whereby the relay contact TR1-1 remains closed only for a predetermined time, the relay contact thereafter automatically returning to its normally open position. Thus, solenoid valve V is maintained in the closed position only for a predetermined time interval, thereby permitting only a predetermined quantity of fluid to pass into the power cylinder 28 whereby the power cylinder is moved only a predetermined distance. Solenoid valve V is thus periodically moved to the closed position so as to move the carriage 17 forwardly in distinct increments or steps each time the limit swich LS3 or LS4 is closed.

However, when the carriage 17 reaches the end of its travel at position VII, it contacts and closes the limit switch 76, which comprises a normally open limit switch LS2, and thus causes an energization of the solenoid SOL2 whereupon the solenoid valve V is moved into its alternate position with inlet conduit 87 now being in communication with conduit 91. The conduit 91 also contains a normally closed solenoid valve V therein, which valve is moved to the open position in opposition to the spring 97 whenever the solenoid SOL6 is energized. When valve V is in the open position, conduit 91 is in communication with conduit 92 so as to supply fluid to the other end of the pressure cylinder 28. The solenoid SOL6, like the solenoid SOLS, is controlled by the timing relay TR1, energization of which causes the relay contact TR1-2 to be moved to the closed position, solenoid SOL6 thus being energized so as to move the valve V to the open position. Carriage 17 is thus stepped rearwardly a predetermined amount.

As illustrated in FIGURE 6, the control circuit is provided with an electrical power source 78 connected in series with a conventional start switch 77 so as to permit initiation of the polishing operation.

The electrical and fluid pressure circuits of FIGURES 6 and 7 have been shown merely for purposes of illustration since many other operable circuits could be utilized for controlling the carriage movements. Such circuits and modifications thereof will be obvious to those skilled in the art. For example, the solenoids SOL3 and SOL4 could be interconnected with conventional time relays so as to prevent reverse energization of the power cylinder 32 until the power cylinder 28 has been moved the desired step distance. Such modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

FIGURES 8 and 9 illustrate a modified periphery control template 53A adapted to coact with the switching stylus 56A, which switching stylus is secured to the upper carriage 21 for reciprocation therewith. The switching stylus 56A is, like the switching stylus 56 previously described, primarily of electrical function but it also could be of hydraulic or pneumatic actuation if so desired. In this embodiment, the switching stylus 56A is preferably provided with only a single switch actuator or feeler memher 98. The periphery control template 53A is provided with a pair of recesses 101 and 102 therein, which recesses are symmetrical with each other and are provided with a curve-shaped profile. Sidewalls of these recesses 101 and 102 form peripheral control cams 106, 107, 108 and 109. The feeler member 98 of the switching stylus 56A cooperates with the control template 53A so as to cause angular deflection of the feeler member 98 and closure of the switch within the switching stylus 56A upon contact with one of the above control cams. The switching stylus 56A is constructed in a manner such that, when in a first control position, each lateral deflection of the feeler member 98 causes the switching stylus 56A to emit an electrical impulse, while, when in a second control position, the switching stylus 56A will emit an electrical impulse only upon each second deflection of the feeler member 98. These electrical impulses in turn control the power cylinders '28 and 32 for moving the lower and upper carriages 17 and 21.

In order for the polishing wheels 48 to polish the edge area of the workpiece three times and the entire workpiece two times, the switching stylus 56A is initially set in its first control position. In this first control position, each deflection of the feeler 98 causes reversal in the energization of the power cylinder 32 for reversing the upper carriage movement while simultaneously causing an energi- Zation of the power cylinder 28 for causing a step-like movement of the lower carriage 17. Thus, in the same manner as described above in relation to FIGURE 3, the feeler member 98 moves back and forth in an irregularly shaped path between the adjacent control cams 108 and 109 and then between the control cams 106 and 107 until the entire edge area has been polished once. This moving process is illustrated by the path L illustrated in solid lines in FIGURE 8. After the entire edge has thus been polished, whereby the upper and lower carriages have been returned to their initial position I, the switching stylus 56A is then set at its second control position so that an electrical impulse is emitted only upon each second deflection of the feeler member 98, whereby the inner control cams 108 and 109 are ineffective. The switching stylus 56A and the feeler member 98 thereon thus move back and forth in an irregularly shaped path between the outer control cams 106 and 109 in a path of movement K as illustrated in dotted lines in FIGURE 8. In this manner, the entire workpiece surface is polished twice, being polished once when the lower carriage 17 is moved forwardly (downwardly in FIGURE 8) and then being polished again when the lower carriage is moved rearwardly toward its initial position (upwardly in FIGURE 8).

FIGURE 10 illustrates an electrical circuit which, in cooperation with the fluid pressure circuit illustrated in FIGURE 7, may be utilized for controlling the movement of the stylus 56A when same cooperates with the template 53A. As illustrated, the electrical circuit is substantially identical to the electrical circuit disclosed in FIGURE 6. However, the solenoids SOL3 and SOL4 utilized for controlling the movement of the upper carriage 21 have connected in parallel therewith conventional counting devices C1 and C2, respectively, which devices may be ratchet-type relays. The parallelsolenoid circuits and counting device circuits are alternatively connectible in series with the limit switches LS3 and LS4, respectively, by means of a double pole double throw control switch CS. When the control switch CS is in the first control position wherein the solenoids SOL3 and SOL4 are connected in series with the limit switches LS3 and LS4, respectively, the circuit is identical to the circuit of FIG- URE 6, that is, each closure of the limit switches 71 and 72 causes energization of either solenoid SOL3 or SOL4. However, when the control switch CS is moved into the second control position, the counting devices C1 and C2 are connected in series with the limit switches 71 and 72, respectively, which counting devices cause their associated relay contacts C1-1 and C2-1 to close upon each second impulse. Thus, each second actuation of the limit 1 l switches 71 or 72 will cause the respective counting contact C1-1 or C21 to close so that the respective solenoid SOL3 or SOL4 will be energized. The counting devices C1 and C2 are preferably time-delay relays whereupon the contacts C1-1 and C21 automatically reopen after a preset time delay.

FIGURES 1l13 illustrate a still further modification of a periphery control template 53B and the manner in which same cooperates with the upper carriage 21 for controlling the movements thereof. As illustrated in FIG- URE 11, the template 53B is mounted to the base frame 11 so as to be vertically adjustable relative thereto. The template is provided with a flange 116 integrally connected thereto in which is threadedly received a spindle member 117 rot-atably mounted on the base frame 111. Rotation of the threaded member 117 thus causes the template 53B to be moved vertically upwardly or downwardly relative to the upper carriage 21. Further the base member 11 is provided with a flange 11A integrally formed thereon to assist in guiding the template 53B during its reciprocating movement.

Specifically, the control template 53B has an upper portion 118 which contains therein a control cam 119, which control cam is substantially identical to the control cams 61 and 62 illustrated in FIGURE 3. The control cam 119 coacts with a switching stylus 56B which is identical to the switching stylus 56A illustrated in FIGURE 9. The switching stylus 56B is fixedly mounted on an arm member 121 which in turn is fixedly mounted on a vertical post member 122, the post 122 being secured to the upper carriage 21 for movement therewith. Transverse movement of the stylus 56B when same is positioned within the control cam 119 in cooperation with the electrical circuit illustrated in FIGURE 6 and the fluid circuit illustrated in FIGURE 7, causes a polishing of the complete workpiece substantially in the same manner as described above in relation to FIGURES 3 and 4 when the center portion 59 of the template is in the lowered or inoperative position. This polishing movement is partially illustrated by the path K in FIGURE 12.

When it is desired to polish only the edges of the workpiece, the threaded member 117 is rotated to move the template 53B vertically downwardly whereupon the control earn 119 is no longer in engagement with or adapted to be contacted by the switching stylus 56B. The template 53B is moved vertically downwardly until the control cam 127 formed on the intermediate portion 124 thereof is positioned in substantially the same horizontal plane as the guide member or template follower 126, which guide member is fixedly secured to an arm member 123 rigidly mounted on the end of the post member 122. The power cylinder 32 is then energized in a direction so that the upper carriage 21 is moved until the guide member 126 is biased into sliding engagement with the control cam 127. The power cylinder 28 is then energized so as to cause the lower carriage 17 to continuously and progressively move from one end of its travel to the other end of its travel. During the above movement, power cylinder 32 continues to bias the guide member 126 into sliding engagement with the control cam 127 so that the polishing wheels 48 relatively move along a path M as illustrated by the dotted lines in FIGURE 13 so as to polish one half of the workpiece edge.

Power cylinder 32 is then depressurized and the control template 53 is then moved vertically downwardly again until the control cam 128 formed thereof on the lower portion 125 is substantially located in the same horizontal plane as the guide member 126. Power cylinder 32 is then again energized so as to bias the guide member 126 into engagement with the control cam 128. Power cylinder 28 is then energized in the reverse direction whereupon the lower carriage 17 is continuously and progressively moved in the reverse direction back toward its initial position whereupon the polishing wheels 48 follow a relative path of movement N as illustrated by the dotted lines in FIGURE 13 so as to polish the other half of the edge are-a. Thus, the continuous feed motion of the lower carriage 17 and the side motion of the upper carriage 21, as controlled by the guide member 126, produces a progressive polishing of only the edge area of the workpiece. While the guide member 126 has been described above as being continuously biased into engagement with either the control cams 127 or 128 by means of the power cylinders 32, it will be obvious that other suitable means, such as springs, could be utilized for maintaining the necessary sliding engagement between the control cams 127 or 128 and the guide member 126.

FIGURES 14 and 15 illustrate a further modification of a template control device for permitting a continuous polishing of only the edges of the workpiece. The device illustrated in FIGURES 14 and 15 is a mechanical copying device wherein the template control comprises a pair of cams or curved discs 131 and 132, each of which is fixedly secured to a drive shaft 135 driven by a motor 136 for synchronous rotation therewith. The control cam 131 bears against a cam follower 139 which is mounted upon the lower carriage 17 with the cam follower 139 being maintained in engagement with the control cam 131 by any suitable resilient means, such as by springs or by means of a fluid pressure cylinder. Rotation of the control cam 131 thus causes the lower carriage 17 to reciprocate (upwardly and downwardly in FIGURE 14) whereby a single revolution of the control cam 131 causes the lower carriage 17 to move the workpiece mounted on the upper carriage 21 underneath the polishing wheel 48 from one end thereof to the other end thereof and then return same to its initial position. Similarly, the control cam 132 bears against a cam follower 141 mounted upon a lever 37, which lever has a counter pressure applied thereto by means of springs or by means of a fluid pressure cylinder so as to maintain the cam follower 141 in engagement with the control cam 132. The end of the lever 137 is provided with a slide member 142 thereon which is slidably received within a transverse slot 138 formed on the upper carriage 21. Rotation of the control cam 132 thus causes oscillation of the lever 137 and a corresponding reciprocation of the upper carriage 21 whereupon the workpieces mounted thereon are moved transversely with respect to the polishing wheels 48. The contour of the control cam 132 thus substantially corresponds to the contour of the control cams 127 and 128 formed on the template 53B illustrated in FIGURES 11-- 13 so that only the edge of the workpiece is polished, which polishing action occurs continuously around the edge of the workpiece due to the continuous movement of the lower carriage 17 from one end of its travel to the other end thereof, and vice versa.

FIGURES 16 and 17 illustrate another polishing machine construction having four polishing stations thereon. The polishing machine comprises a base frame 202 which carries a cross-slide arrangement 203 thereon and also has an upper support member 204 projecting above the cross-slide arrangement for supporting a polishing means 205 having four polishing units 206. The polishing means 205 is pivoted by means of a hydraulic actuating unit 207 which has the lower end thereof connected to the upper support member 204. Each polishing unit 206 comprises a polishing wheel 208 and can be pivoted in a lateral direction by means of an adjustment cylinder 209 as illustrated in FIGURE 17.

The cross-slide arrangement 203 comprises a lower carriage 210 which is guided on parallel rails 211 and an upper carriage 212 which is mounted on the lower carriage 210 by means of parallel rails 213, the rails 213 being substantially transverse to the rails 211. The upper carriage 212 supports four workpiece holders 214 thereon for carrying hollow workpieces or goods therein. Further, the upper carriage is provided with a template holder 215 thereon for mounting a vertical control template therein. The lower carriage 210 is reciprocated along the rails 211 by means of a hydraulic actuating unit 216, while the upper carriage 212 is also driven by a hydraulic actuating unit (not shown) for reciprocating the carriage along the parallel rails 213.

The vertical movement of the polishing means 205 is controlled by a tracing stylus 217 fixed to the polishing means 205, which tracing stylus 217 cooperates with a vertical control template for controlling the actuating units 217 and 209 in such a way that the polishing wheels 208 follow the vertical profile of the workpieces. The use of such vertical control templates for controlling the vertical movement of a polishing wheel is known in the polishing art.

The horizontal control of the cross-slide arrangement -3 is accomplished by means of a periphery control device 218 which utilizes therein a periphery control template 220 fixedly mounted upon the base member 202 and being provided with cam grooves therein for cooperating with a switching stylus 226 fixedly supported to the upper carriage 212. The control template 226 may be of a configuration substantially identical to any of the control templates previously described and as illustrated in FIG- URES 3-13. For example, if the control template illustrated in FIGURES 35 is mounted on the machine base 202, then the complete surface of the workpiece can be polished with the workpiece undergoing a movement as indicated by the path K, in FIGURE 3, or, alternatively, only the edges of the workpiece can be polished by having the workpiece and the upper carriage 210 undergo a path of movement as illustrated by the path L in FIG- URE 3.

The machine illustrated in FIGURES 16 and 17 utilizes a modified control system therein for controlling the forward advance or step-like movement of the lower carriage .210. In particular, the lower carriage is provided with a cam plate 234 fixedly secured to one edge thereof by means of an arm member 233. The cam plate 234 (FIGURES l8 and 19) is provided with a plurality of rows of cams thereon which cooperate with a plurality of limit switches mounted on a limit switch panel 238 fixedly secured to the base frame 202 by means of an arm member 237. The plurality of cams 235A cooperate with the limit switch 236A for controlling the steplike movement of the lower carriage 210', the limit switch 236A being a normally closed switch which is opened upon being contacted by one of the cams 235A so as to interrupt the forward advance or movement of the lower carriage 210. Similarly, the cams 235B1 and 235B-2 are positioned in a different row on the cam plate 234 and are adapted to coact with limit switches 236B1 and 236B2 for causing reversal of the direction of movement of the lower carriage 210 upon reaching the extremities of travel. The cams 235B and their cooperation with the limit switch 236B thus performs the same function as the limit switches 73 and 7-6 as illustrated in the circuit diagram of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 20 illustrates a circuit which could be utilized for controlling the movement of the upper and lower carriages 212 and 210, respectively, of the machine illustrated in FIGURES -1619. The circuit illustrated in FIG- URE 20 is substantially identical to and operates in substantially the identical manner as the circuit illustrated in FIGURE 6, described above. However, the circuit illustrated in FIGURE 20 includes therein normally closed limit switches 236A-1 and 23 6A-2 connected in parallel with the relay contacts R-11 and R1-2, respectively, the relay R1 not being of the timed delay type. The circuit illustrated in FIGURE 20 further includes therein an electrical control device M which includes therein a normally closed switch M6,1 (FIGURE 21) whereupon the control device M normally has no elfect upon the electrical control circuit or on the normal sequence of operations of the polishing machine.

In normal operation, either limit switch LS3 or LS4 is closed whenever the movement of the upper carriage 212 is reversed, whereupon the relay R1 is temporarily energized so as to cause the relay contacts R1-1 and R1-2 to close. This thus energizes the solenoids SOLS and SOL6 whereupon the power cylinder utilized to move the lower carriage 210 is supplied with pressurized fluid whereby the lower carriage 210 thus begins to move. The initial movement of the lower carriage 210 causes one of the cams 235 to lose contact with the limit switch 236A whereupon the limit switch contacts 236A-1 and 236A-2 to return their normally closed position. Consequently, when the relay contacts R1-1 and R12 again open, the solenoids SOLS and SOLG remain energized whereupon the lower carriage 210 continues its forward advance until the limit switch 236A is again contacted by the next cam 23 5A whereupon the limit switches contacts 236A1 and 236=A2 are again moved to the open position so as to interrupt power to the solenoids SOLS and SOLG, thus terminating or stopping the forward advance or step-like movement of the lower carriage 2.10. Thus, the circuit illustrated in FIGURE 20 moves the lower carriage forwardly in distinct and definite increments of length as controlled by the limit switch 236A, while in the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 6 the lower carriage is moved forwardly in a step-like manner in proportion to a specific time interval.

The electrical control device M on the machine illustrated in FIGURES 16-19 is further provided with supplementary control means therein which can be programmed by suitable means, such as by punched cards, so as to override and dominate the movements of the upper and lower carriages as controlled by the periphery control device 218. The limit switches mounted within the switch panel 236 are connected to the control device M and transmit electrical impulses thereto. Depending upon the program contained on the punched card, the control device M may give switching orders to the limit switches 236 which will dominate or override the switching orders received from the cams 235 or from the switching stylus 226 coacting with the periphery control template 220.

The control device M is schematically illustrated in FIGURE 21 and may be actuated and controlled by a punched card or tape arrangement whenever a desired supplementary operation is to be performed. For example, conventional data cards could be utilized having a plurality of rows and columns thereon with appropriate punches being made in the card in the desired row and/or column in correspondence to the desired supplementary operation which is to be performed. The absence of any such punches in the card will permit the machine to operate in its normal sequence as explained above since the relay switch M6-1 remains closed. However, assuming that the first four rows on the card are being utilized for control purposes, if a punch should appear in the first row of the card, then the switch contact S1 would be closed causing energization of the relay M6 whereupon the relay switch contact M6-1 will open, thereupon interrupting the flow of current in the main circuit. Similarly, if a punch should appear in the second, third or fourth row of the card, then the respective switches S2, S3 or S4 will likewise close and cause energization of the relay M6, whereupon its switch contact M6-1 will open.

Each of the punches appearing in the different rows indicates a different supplementary operation which is to be performed by the machine. For example, if a punch appears in the third row, then the switch S3 will be closed and cause energization of the relay M3. This in turn causes a closure of the relay switch M3 -1 connected in parallel with the limit switch LS3 whereupon the solenoid SOL3 is energized, thereby causing the upper carriage 212 to again traverse across the workpiece. Similarly, if a punch appears in the fourth row, switch S4 will be closed causing energization of relay M4 and a closure of the relay contact M41, whereupon solenoid SOL4 will be energized and cause the upper carriage 212 to traverse across the workpiece in the opposite direction.

The step-like movement of the lower carriage 210 is controlled by the punches which appear in the first and second rows of the card. If a punch should appear in the first row, then the switch S1 will be closed whereupon the relays M1 and M5 will be energized which in turn will cause the respective relay contacts M1-1, M5-1 and M5-2 to close, thereby resulting in energization of the solenoids SOLl, SOLS and SOL6, causing the lower carriage 210 to move forwardly one step in a first direction in the manner as discussed above. On the other hand, if a punch should appear in the second row, then switch S2 will be closed and cause energization of relay M2 and M5, whereupon relay switches M2-1, M5-2 will close and cause energization of solenoids SOLZ, SOLS and SOL6, whereupon the lower carriage 210 will be stepped in the opposite direction.

The control device M with the supplementary control circuitry therein can, in this manner, repeat each carriage movement as often as desired and can also repeat any desired series of several carriage movements. Such a switching order of the carriage by the control device M can, for example, cause the workpiece movement illustrated in FIGURE 3 to be repeated three times accord ing to the curve L from point M to point N, or the control device M can also cause the workpiece movement to be repeated one time on the curve A according to the path MO.

Moreover, the control device M has switching devices (not illustrated) which are controlled by the punched card and switch on or off auxiliary functions of the polishing machine. Some of the auxiliary functions are the feed of the polishing means, the turning of the workpieces by an apparatus (not illustrated), and the disengaging of the polishing wheels by pivoting the polishing units by means of the adjustment cylinders 209. After the entire operation has taken place, the control device M places the upper carriage 212 and the periphery control device 218 back into its initial position.

The cards utilized for controlling the supplementary operations of the machine are provided with punches in several transverse columns extending across the length of the card with the card being mechanically stepped forward in proportion to the step-like movement of the lower carriage. Thus, the various columns appearing on the card represent the position of the lower carriage relative to the workpiece while the punches appearing in the different rows in the respective columns indicates the desired supplementary operations which are to be performed, as explained above. Further, each column may be provided with punches in more than one row so as to initiate a combination of the movements explained above.

The electrical and fluid pressure circuits of FIGURES 6, 7, 10, and 21 are merely for purposes of illustration since it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many other variations or modified control circuits could be utilized for performing the desired operation as explained above.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments illustrated. In place of a cam arrangement and a limit switch coupled therewith, the connection between the lower carriage and the control device could also comprise a timing relay and a step switching device. In this case, it is possible for the control device to also switch the reversal of the carriage movement through a further timing relay.

The cam arrangement 234 can also be mounted to the upper carriage if desired rather than on the lower carriage, or can be mounted on the switching stylus so as to cooperate with limit switches arranged in a corresponding position.

Further, the supplementary control device 219 can, instead of utilizing punched cards, utilize a programmed magnetic control,

Although particular preferred embodiments of the in- 16 vention have been disclosed above for illustrative purposes, it will be understood that variations or modifications thereof which lie within the scope of the appended claims, are fully contemplated.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An apparatus for the brushing or polishing of a workpiece, comprising:

a frame; a polishing tool rotatably mounted on said frame; cross-slide means movably mounted on said frame and including first and second slide means movable relative to said tool, said second slide means being movable in a direction substantially transverse to the direction of movement of said first slide means;

first drive means for causing reciprocatory movement of said first slide means;

second drive means for causing reciprocatory movement of said second slide means;

mounting means on said cross-slide means for mounting said workpiece thereon;

automatic control means for controlling the motion of said cross-slide means and of the workpiece mounted thereon relative to said tool;

said automatic control means including template means mounted on one of said cross-slide means and said frame and a template follower mounted on the other of said cross-slide means and said frame;

said template means having cam contours thereon substantially corresponding to the outline of said workpiece and said template follower being adapted to contact said cam contours; and

said automatic control means further including means interconnecting said template follower to said first and second drive means for controlling the motion of said workpiece relative to said tool.

2. A machine as defined in claim ll, wherein:

said automatic control means selectively controls the relative movement between said workpiece and said tool for permitting said tool to treat either the entire workpiece or only the edge zones of the workpiece.

3. A machine as defined in claim 3, wherein:

said automatic control means selectively actuates said first and second drive means for causing said first drive means to move said first slide means forwardly in a step-like manner while said second drive means causes said second slide means to be moved back and forth in a direction substantially transverse to the movement of said first slide means for progressively treating said workpiece.

4. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein:

said template means includes first and second cam contours thereon with said first cam contour having an outline corresponding to said workpiece;

said template follower comprising switch means adapted to coact with said cam contours for controlling the reciprocatory movement of said second slide means, contact of said first cam contour by said switch means causing reversal in the energization of said second drive means whereby said second slide means is moved in a reciprocating manner;

coaction between said switch means and said second cam contour also causing reversal in the movement of said second slide means whereby only the edge zones of said workpiece are treated.

5. A machine as defined in claim 4, wherein:

said template means includes first and second parts with said first part having said first cam contour thereon and including opposed cam portions;

said second part having said second cam contour thereon and also having opposed cam portions;

means mounting said second part for movement between a first inoperative position and a second operative position;

said switch means coacting between said first and second cam contours when said second part is in said second operative position for controlling reciprocatory movement of said second slide means whereby only the edge zones of said workpiece are treated;

said switch means coacting between the opposed portions of said first cam contour when said second part is in said first inoperative position for controlling the reciprocator movement of said second slide means whereby the entire workpiece is treated.

6. A machine as defined in claim 4, wherein:

said template means includes first and second portions with said first portion having said first cam contour thereon and said second portion having said second cam contour thereon, said second cam contour being substantially positioned within the outline of said first cam contour;

selector means for overriding said second cam contour, said selector means when in a first position causing said switch means to coact between said first and second cam contours whereby only the edge zones of said workpiece are treated, said selector means when in a second position causing said switch means to coact between the opposed portions of said first cam contour whereby the entire workpiece is treated, contact between said switch means and said second cam contour when said selector means is in said second position having no effect upon said second drive means.

7. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein:

said automatic control means further includes means for causing said first slide means to linearly move a selected distance each time the transverse linear movement of said second slide means is reversed; and

limit means for reversing the direction of movement of said first slide means when same reaches its limit of travel as defined by the length of said workpiece.

8. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein:

said template follower comprises switch means interconnected with said first and second drive means for controlling the movement of said workpiece relative to said tool;

said template means having first, second and third axially spaced cam contours thereon;

said first cam contour coacting with said switch means for permitting the entire workpiece to be treated;

said second cam contour permitting approximately onehalf of the edge zone of said workpiece to be treated;

said third cam contour permitting approximately the other half of the edge zone of the workpiece to be treated; and

means movably mounting said template means on said frame for permitting said template means to be moved relative to said switch means.

9. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein:

said template means comprises first and second cam members rotatably mounted on said frame;

said first drive means including a lever member pivotably mounted on said frame and having a cam follower thereon in following engagement with said first cam member, said lever member being slideably interconnected to said first slide means for controlling the linear movement thereof;

said second drive means including a cam follower mounted on said second slide means and in following engagement with said second cam member; and

means for maintaining the cam followers of said first and second drive means in following engagement with said first and second cam members, respectively.

10. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein:

said first drive means includes first fluid pressure means interconnected between said frame and said first slide means for linearly moving same;

said second slide means being slideably mounted on said first slide means; and

said second drive means includes second fluid pressure means coacting between said second slide means and said first slide means for linearly moving said second slide means in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of said first slide means.

11. A machine as defined in claim 1, further including:

supplementary control means for selectively controlling said first and second drive means for permitting selected treatment of said workpiece by said tool, said supplementary control means overriding and dominating said automatic control means.

12. A machine as defined in claim 11,. wherein:

said supplementary control means is controlled by means of a punched card.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,675,652 4/ 1954 Chiappulini 51-100 2,799,975 7/ 1957 Ashenfelder et al. 51100 X 3,000,147 9/1961 Celovsky 51-400 3,324,493 6/ 1967 Kraft.

EDWARD L. ROBERTS, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

